PESHAWAR: A once-barren stretch of land on the outskirts of Peshawar has been transformed into a thriving forest of approximately 1.7 million trees, according to satellite analysis by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), showcasing one of Pakistan’s most significant ecological restoration success stories.

The transformation of Garhi Chandan is part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Billion Tree Afforestation Project, launched in 2014 and later integrated into the country’s nationwide tree-planting initiatives. Officials and conservation experts attribute the project’s success to a combination of large-scale afforestation and active participation by local communities in protecting and managing the forest.

Satellite imagery compared by SUPARCO highlights the remarkable change. Images from 2013 show an arid landscape with little vegetation, while those captured in 2025 reveal dense forest cover spread across the area.

Residents say the environmental impact has been profound.

“The Forest Department came here and planted this forest, completely transforming the environment,” said Jehangir Khan, a local resident. “The weather has changed. Earlier, it used to be extremely hot.”

He added that the restored habitat has encouraged the return of wildlife.

“Many new species of birds and animals have appeared. Even species that were declining have increased in number because of the forest,” he said.

Beyond environmental gains, the project has generated economic opportunities for nearby communities. According to Divisional Forest Officer Muhammad Shakeel, local residents earned Rs12.5 million last year through scientifically managed pruning and thinning of mature trees. The income is expected to rise to around Rs70 million during the coming year.

Communities also collect approved pruning waste for household firewood, reducing pressure on natural forests, while beekeeping activities within the plantation have created an additional source of income.

Khan said local residents play a key role in protecting the forest.

“We only cut trees when the Forest Department allows us to. Before that, we don’t even touch them,” he said, adding that community members help prevent illegal logging and respond to forest fires.

Forest authorities have now shifted their focus from plantation to long-term conservation.

“We have prepared a 10-year sustainability plan for Garhi Chandan. Under this plan, a German-supported project is helping us hire forest guards to ensure long-term protection,” Shakeel said.

He noted that ecological recovery is becoming increasingly visible, with several native plant species naturally returning to the area.

“When this land was barren, wildlife had no habitat. Now, after habitat restoration, different species of partridges, jackals and rabbits have returned, and more birds and animals are expected to follow,” he said.

Project Director Muhammad Junaid Dayar said the original Billion Tree Afforestation Project not only achieved but exceeded its target.

“Our first project started in 2014 and concluded in 2022. The target was one billion trees, but we planted 1.208 billion,” he said.

According to Dayar, nearly two billion trees have now been planted under various afforestation initiatives across the province. The Billion Tree Afforestation Project alone restored 593,000 hectares of land, increasing forest cover in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by six percent and Pakistan’s overall tree cover by one percent.

The initiative has attracted international attention, including visits by Saudi officials interested in Pakistan’s experience with large-scale afforestation. It has also faced criticism over the early use of eucalyptus, a fast-growing non-native species.

Dayar acknowledged the concerns, saying eucalyptus was initially planted on degraded land to meet communities’ demand for commercially valuable trees.

“In the newer programme, eucalyptus has been reduced to no more than 10 percent, while the share of indigenous species and natural regeneration has been significantly increased,” he said.

Independent conservation experts say Garhi Chandan offers an important model for future restoration efforts.

“They hired local community wardens who are protecting the newly forested area from grazing, forest fires and illegal cutting,” said Syed Kamran Hussain, Senior Manager at WWF-Pakistan.

Environmental experts believe the Garhi Chandan experience demonstrates that large-scale afforestation, coupled with community ownership and long-term management, can restore degraded ecosystems while creating sustainable livelihoods for local populations.